NYC Wants Free Wireless on Staten Island Ferry

The Department of Transportation is looking to see if a private company could install and maintain the service.

New York City officials want passengers who make the 5.2-mile, 25-minute trip aboard the Staten Island Ferry to enjoy free, wireless Internet service.

Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan says Friday the agency is looking to see if a private company could install and maintain free wireless service at both terminals and aboard the Staten Island Ferry boats.

About 22 million passengers used the Staten Island Ferry in 2012.

The city has issued so-called Requests for Expression of Interest to see if technology companies can assess how feasible the free Internet service could be. Those plans are due Oct. 8.

Any plan that would eventually become adopted would be selected through a separate bidding process.

Officials say the requests should detail system designs, costs, and security protections among other details.